Didn't Have To Be
by giovanbronckhorst
Summary: AU. James dies in Voldemort’s attack, leaving Lily a single mother. She has to carry on alone. Will she find a man willing to raise Harry as his own?


**Disclaimer:**** Not a single bit of it's mine, unfortunate as it is. The world of Harry Potter belongs to JK and Warner Bros. The idea of this story comes from a YouTube video I just saw based on the song **_**He Didn't Have To Be **_**by Brad Paisley. It's probably a good idea if you listen to the song; it's gorgeous. **

**Centric Character(s):**** Lily Evans, Severus Snape and Harry Potter. **

**Pairing(s):**** Lily x Severus.**

**Summary:**** AU. James dies in Voldemort's attack, leaving Lily a single mother. She has to carry on alone. Will she find a man willing to raise Harry as his own?**

**A/N:**** If you're feeling in an especially giving mood then you should know that reviews make me feel all happy inside!**

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When Sirius had found them, Lily lay curled on the floor, covering her baby son in the rubble ruins of her house in Godric's Hollow. Her son bore just a lightening bolt cut on his forehead and seemed to be in no obvious pain; his face was void of any shock or discomfort while his mother sobbed.

As soon as she was aware of Sirius' presence, she placed Harry safely in his arms and crawled over to James. He was on his back, his hair in its usual messy state his eyes open with a determination in them, eliciting more shrieks from Lily.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered in his ear, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you so much, James. How-" Lily's voice broke as she sobbed. "How can I raise Harry? He needs his daddy."

Sirius had near identical tears streaming down his cheeks watching Lily speak to his best mate's dead body. _How can you be dead, James?_

He placed his godson in the still (mostly) there crib. His feet did not want to comply to his orders as he tried to move them closer to the body. By the time he got to the point where he could reach out to Lily, he was choking over his tears.

"Lil… Lil, what- what happened?"

"_Him_. He found us- James, he tried to keep him away from me and Harry, but-" Lily couldn't continue as another way of tears poured from her. Sirius bent down and squeezed Lily gently. "He killed James… Then he came after us, and tried to… he tried to kill Harry. But, I don't know… I turned around and it hit my back but- nothing."

It seemed that Sirius had zoned out. His eyes became unfocused as Lily spoke and the corner of his lip snarled. "He found you. _Peter _told him!"

It hadn't struck Lily until then that Sirius was right. Peter had to have told Voldemort for him to find them in Godric's Hollow. Dumbledore himself had cast the charms over them.

Before Lily could say anything, Sirius had begun to bound out of the house, screaming and yelling obscenities as he went. "Sirius!" Lily yelled after him, but it was far too late.

From the noises of his yelling godfather, Harry began to cry, startling Lily out of her shock and tears. It was then she hit 'mum mode' and immediately rushed to her son, lifting him out of the crib and hugging him close. "It's alright, baby. You and me will make it through. Sirius'll help us."

After Sirius left the house during the early hours of November 1st he found Peter. In the ensuing battle lives were stolen and the Muggle police were called. They found the bodies of twelve Muggles, a finger and another body that they didn't identify. Lily never saw Sirius Black again.

*****

It had been hard for Lily from that day forth. It had always been difficult, even before losing James, but raising a young son alone was never part of her plan. Yet, what she found oddly easy was trying to forgive. Forgive the man who had thrown away years of friendship over the other man in her life. The man she went on to marry…

Severus showed up at Dumbledore's office in Hogwarts the day after the attack. After hearing the news of Sirius' death as well, she had fled to the one man she felt safe around- Albus.

Minerva had nearly hexed Snape out of the castle until Dumbledore appeared behind her. "Allow him passage, Minerva," he instructed.

Severus swept past his old Transfiguration professor and straight towards Dumbledore. "Where is she?" he demanded. Albus did not reply, merely turning on his heel and indicating for Severus to follow him.

When they arrived in his office, Sev found Lily slumped in a chair, her eyes drooping with tiredness and Harry played on the floor at her feet. Madam Pomfrey had inspected the cut and had decided that it wasn't going to do him any harm then allowed him to return to his mother.

"Lily," Severus breathed, catching sight of the red-haired beauty that'd never once left his memory. Hearing the voice she recognised so well, Lily looked up and stood roughly from her chair. She threw herself into Severus' arms.

"Sev- they're gone. James and Sirius… me and Harry are all alone."

"You'll never be alone," he whispered back, stroking a hand down her soft hair, inhaling the scent he had so missed. Baby Harry stared curiously up at his mum and the man he did not recognise.

*****

Never once over the years did Lily pretend James had never existed. She made sure Harry was aware during his younger years that his father had died to protect him. As the years crept by and Harry grew bigger, Severus never once allowed Lily to feel alone. She and Harry would always have someone.

Lily met some men over the years, whether they were magical or Muggle. They all held one thing in common though: the first mention of a child and they ran a mile. The magical men she dated obviously were aware of Harry's existence- he was famous. Despite having bad encounters, Lily continued to hope that perhaps one of those men would not be dating her simply to brush shoulders with someone well known, although it always ended the same.

Neither were quite sure when it became official, but it seemed Severus, Lily and Harry just set up home together and began living life as a couple. He was always there, helping Lily whenever it was necessary…

The first time Harry rode real broomstick (rather than the small one Sirius had bought him for his first birthday) he fell off rather soon. His head bumped roughly against the floor and before Lily even had a chance to move, her five year old son was being rocked in Sev's arm as her childhood best friend soothed the pain.

Harry looked up at him with such admiration that Lily felt herself rooted to the spot at the doorway. Harry snuggled himself into the crook of Sev's arm and hugged tightly.

"I love you, daddy."

*****

From that day onward, Harry stopped asking about James. He was aware of who his father was biologically, and knew he had died to save him, but he was also aware of the man who helped his mother raise him and was there through the years.

Throughout his Hogwarts years was the first time Harry really realised exactly why Severus was always there. He loved his mother. Harry realised this when he started to feel the pull towards his own red-headed beauty.

*****

Eighteen years after Harry fell off his broom, Severus found him on the floor again. This time he was on his knees, his head bent and his fingers intertwined in prayer. He was beside a small baby in the nursery of St. Mungo's and didn't notice Severus enter. When he lifted his head, his prayer finished, Severus cleared his throat.

Harry head's turned sharply and Sev noticed the tears flowing silently. He knew they were tears and hurt or sadness, so didn't mention them. Harry stood, brushing the dust from his trousers, and gazed at the baby next to him again.

"What were you praying for?" Severus asked after a moment of silence during which they both admired the gorgeous little girl that had melted their hearts from her first cry five hours before.

"Um…" Harry didn't answer for a second, finding the right words. "I was praying that I can be half the dad… half the dad you didn't have to be."


End file.
